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U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced this week that he plans to tell the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to stop recommending that communities add fluoride to public drinking water. He also said he is forming a task force to focus on this issue, citing health concerns linked to fluoride.
The push to ban fluoride
Kennedy made the announcement during a news conference in Salt Lake City. He praised Utah for becoming the first state to ban water fluoridation statewide. The law, signed last month by Governor Spencer Cox, overrides local authority and requires all public water systems in Utah to stop adding fluoride by May 7. Kennedy called the move a step toward making “America healthy again.”
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin also said the Environmental Protection Agency is reviewing new scientific data on fluoride’s health effects. This includes research suggesting potential links to lower IQs in children, arthritis, bone problems, and thyroid issues. However, many of these risks have only been seen at higher-than-recommended levels, and experts say the evidence is not conclusive.
Why is fluoride usually added to water?
Despite this pushback, major health organizations like the CDC continue to recommend water fluoridation. Fluoride, a mineral found naturally in water, helps prevent tooth decay by strengthening enamel. Since the 1950s, the U.S. has added low levels of fluoride to public water supplies. This practice was once called one of the top public health achievements of the 20th century by the CDC.
Right now about two-thirds of the U.S. population drinks fluoridated water. The CDC recommends a fluoride level of 0.7 milligrams per liter, which is below the level linked to any known serious health risks. Most dental experts warn that removing fluoride could widen health disparities, especially among low-income communities that may have less access to dental care.
